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Constantine Vol 1 23
. Twenty minutes earlier, though, it hadn't seemed they would make it. The hand of Darkseid had reached between worlds, through the path John had cut in order to escape the doomed world. Knowing he couldnt' fight Darkseid by any conventional means, John allowed some of the refugees he'd rescued be captured and killed by the mad god as fuel for a spell to save those he could - the ones most important to him. Unfortunately, those people - the family he had lost on his own world, which he had now stolen from his other self's life - are not especially grateful. He'd killed their son and friend to fuel the spell, and lost his mother's Earth 2 counterpart in The Bleed. Thomas Constantine kicks him in the back, promising to kill him, and reminding that he has no loyalty to a man who is not his son. He borrows Chas Chandler's gun, making for to shoot John dead. Earlier, John used a spell to manifest the Rings of Dolus to protect himself from Darkseid's grip. The rings take every happy thought, and every moment of comfort and love from him, charging them with emotion. He then released the rings' powers, projecting an illusion of a dead earth, causing Darkseid to believe he had already consumed this universe's Earth. Despite Thomas' pointing a gun at him, John admits that of all the foolish things he has done, saving his father was not one of them. Taking the gun muzzle in Thomas' hand and pressing it against his forehead, John reminds that he'd told them that all magic has costs. Now, though, he is ready to die, and face the consequences of living life as he has. Trembling, Thomas relents, admitting that he doesn't have the stomach. Maureen, though - John's counterpart's lover - believed she could. She demands to know how he could put on their shoulders the responsibility of living while everyone else died. He had made that choice for them. John thinks to himself that this is what he always does. He makes the choices that nobody can or will. He had sacrificed a hundred people to save billions. As he thinks on it, he realizes that he wants to live - to keep making those choices. He utters a magical word, and in the instant that Maureen pulls the trigger, he is gone. Maureen and Thomas are overwhelmed by their rage and grief, but Chas reminds that John hadn't completely lied to them. They are alive - and he had saved others too. Looking on from a nearby hill, John lights a cigarette and inhales, finding that it tastes horrible. Apparently the sacrifices he made have removed the joy of smoking for him - but a habit is a habit. John returns to New York City, where he hears from a girl named Vicky that Papa Midnite is looking for him. He acknowledges her, but makes his way instead to visit his old friend Lloyd at his bar. Lloyd, of course, is not happy to see him, after he was abandoned to fix up his bar after it was attacked by a demon. John demands a drink, and promises to tell Lloyd his story - and pay him what he's owed - after a toast to life. | Appearing1 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * * * * Antagonists: * Other Characters: * Papa Midnite * * * * * Vicky * Locations: * ** * ** Items: * Vehicles: * | Notes = | Trivia = | Recommended = | Links = }}